73. Porcupine Tree – In Absentia

 

Porcupine Tree… Such a beautiful picture comes into my brain when I hear that. The same probably does not happen to you if you’ve never heard the band. That sounds like a tree you would not want to get near. Porcupine Tree actually started out as a joke. Steven Wilson and Malcolm Stocks created a fictional band called The Porcupine Tree including an elaborate back story that aped psychodelic rock bands of the ‘70’s that they loved including Pink Floyd. Think Spinal Tap without the movie. Instead Steven recorded several hours of music that served as evidence of the bands existence and they continued to develop insane stories to further the hoax. Steven started to realize that the music he was making might actually be able to make some real impact and started releasing material as Porcupine Tree. You can find a fuller version of the story on Wikipedia but lets just say that they went from a fake band in the time period of Pink Floyd, to an actual band that started making music that sounded much like the music Pink Floyd should be making and gathered quite a following. In Absentia is the first album by Porcupine Tree that I was exposed to and also my favorite. At this point the band was taking strides away from psychedelic rock and more towards progressive rock and metal.  I can best describe In Absentia as a mix of Pink Floyd and Cold Play’s neglected love child raised by Opeth. The album is full of deep eerie sounds, ethereal falsetto vocals, whining guitars and some seriously kick ass bass and piano. It can get pretty dark and heavy at times. This is mostly due to the fact that Steven Wilson befriended Mikael Åkerfeldt of Swedish metal band Opeth at this time. In Absentia is definitely the softer sister album to Opeth’s Blackwater Park(my favorite Opeth album, which Steven Wilson helped write). The similarities in sound of the two albums are pretty astonishing. In Absentia is a very loose concept album that focuses on people on the fringes of society; from serial killers to child molesters to wife beaters. Like I said, the album has some pretty dark subject matter. That being said, the album holds up because of its varied sound. One song will have a light pop melody and sing-a-long chorus while the next will devolve into 4 minutes of eerie drums, bass and ambient noise while guitars shriek over the top. This is not an album to be missed.

What does it make me feel like?

 

A scavenger in a post-apocalyptic world, just trying to survive. One Minute I’m witnessing the beauty of a landscape behind and abandoned city, the next I’m being attacked by cannibals.

What to listen for Track by Track?

 

– The first crashing of overwhelmingly powerful guitars 20 or so seconds into Blackest Eyes

– I love Trains! The acoustic guitars are beautiful. And the way Steve Wilson sings the opening verse. I love that slightly twinged accent. When the bass and drums fill out the song, and he says “Sixty ton angel, falls to the earth.” And the chorus! So beautifully catchy! And then 2:56! Thos vocal harmonies! Could it get better? Yes! At 3:18! The clapping! Did I mention I love Trains?

– Lips of Ashes…. Once again there is just SO MANY GOOD PARTS! The opening chimes and the guitar kind of swirling into the sound getting louder and clearer. The whole song just has this amazing build. The way Steve keeps building vocal harmonies on top of one another, and then this amazing guitar solo starts to join in before taking over the rest of the track!

– The Sound of Muzak has a chorus that is just a wave of beautiful vocals.

– Gravity Eyelids  seven minutes of haunting beauty and the instrumental part that starts a little after the 4 minute mark is absolutely perfect heavy angst.

– The bass line of 3 sets the mood for the whole song. And the way Steve’s vocals kind of flutter in and out always gives me chills.

– Heartattack in a Lay By continues the beauty streak on the album with some amazing and chilling vocal harmonies.

– Collapse the Light into Earth is the perfect closing track. It takes a more musically apathetic and peaceful tone than anything else on the album and is a truly beautiful break up song. The piano captures the emotions of the lyrics perfectly. When I had my first breakup, this song was on repeat.

Example Track

Song of the Day 12/26/12: Django Django – Waveforms

Have you checked out Django Django yet?? Cause I keep asking you too. Definitely one of my favorite new discoveries of 2012. A nice blend of 70’s rock and modern chugging bass filled dance music. Seriously how can you not bob along to that bass on “Waveforms”. It’s mesmerizing!

Just when Im about to catch up, I go and do a thing like enter the final stages of planning an elaborate surprise proposal to the love of my life and now FIANCE! Im sorry this site has fallen off in that time but I fully intend to bounce back. Though probably not till next week considering Im now spending some time with said fiance in New York.

Song of the Day 10/13/12: Django Django – Firewater

Press play on the song before you start reading this.  Ok, so I know I’m behind a few days on song of the day.   I have a very valid reason…. XCOM: Enemy Unknown.  Full disclosure: I play a lot of video games.  But most of them just don’t suck me in anymore.  I have fun with them and then I put them down.  However, once in a while a game still comes along that is so radically different that I must play play play.  XCOM is ADDICTIVE.  You sit down to play for an hour, and then look up at the clock 8 hours later.  It is two games in one (basically) that bounce back and forth, so each time you complete a round in one of the games, you say “ok let me just do one more thing in the other level of the game…”  When I go to bed, I can’t sleep because I’m thinking about how I could have done something different in the last mission.  I dream about playing the game.  When I wake up, the first thoughts in my brain are how I can better handle the next tactical situation.  I haven’t been this messed up since I played Dark Souls… Aaaaaaaaaand now it has taken over my website, since I neglect it to play the game.   Even while I should be writing about how awesome the Django Django song you just listened to was, I’m talking about XCOM instead.  I promise I’ll be back to normal soon.  Go play XCOM!  Unless you have a life; then stay far far away.

By the way my favorite part of the song is the “Ah ah aaah” part near the end.  Cause you know I love those non lyrical singing bouts.

Song of the Day 02/18/11: Yeasayer – 2080

I’m officially obsessed with Yeasayer.  This is a track off their debut album, and I love the strange choral chant part in the middle.  So much so, that it’s my song of the day.  Tell me you don’t get that choral part stuck in your head!!

Song of the Day 02/16/11: Animal Collective – Did You See the Words?

This is the first Animal Collective song I ever liked.  I fell in love with it in the basement hanging out by myself at my parents.  I love the echo best because it’s so completely awesome.  I was listening to this the other night while cooking and dancing and thought I should put it up.  Yes, I cook and dance.  At the same time.  Neither of them well in the eyes of a professional.

Song of the Day 10/04/12: Django Django – Default

I have been listening to A LOT of Django Django the last couple days.  “Default” is best described by me as 70’s acid rock, with folksy harmonies dipped in a bit of Animal Collective and cotton-eyed joe.  One of the most unique albums I’ve heard in a long time, the entire album has just been blowing my mind.  Every song is just… just wow.  Get the album if you enjoy “Default”.  So much amazing all at once is hard to contain!

Song of the Day 02/05/11: Yeasayer – I Remember

Yeasayer is an awesome Brooklyn based band that I had to go all the way to Michigan to be put onto, once again by Kara.  According to the Hype Machine, they were the most blogged about band of 2010.  They have a truly amazing sound.  They toured with MGMT, so if you wanna picture it before listening, that’s who I’d say sounds most similar.  They are also very different.  I love “I Remember” mainly because of its content, of reflecting on a past love and I think I’ve recently been feeling the same way, although not necessarily about a specific person.  I’m seriously considering moving to Michigan.  Over the last couple weeks I’ve had to deal a lot with what it would mean to leave New York, and all the people I love here.  I’ve been looking back through all these years and I’m remembering all those things about New York in place of that loved one.  I have a loved many, and each time I hang out with any one of you, know that in the back of my mind, I’m reliving every important memory we’ve shared together.  So if I seem down, or distant, it’s not you… well I take that back, it is you, but it’s because I’m really grateful not because of anything bad.  Anywayz, listen to “I Remember” because it really does musically support the idea of recollection of good memories and far off thoughts.

Song of the Day 11/14/2010: Animal Collective – In The Flowers

Animal Collective is one of those bands most people find to be inaccessible.  I tend to agree with them, but to pass them up is a mistake.  “In the Flowers”, is pure genius.  It’s a song about the the singer meeting his wife (the dancer), who he then has to leave behind because he needs to go on tour.  He dreams of leaving his body, so that he can meet his wife in the flowers, so they can dance happily together.  This is music you can feel.  Some people say Animal Collective can’t write songs, but just listen to the beat building towards the moment where he says, “if I could just leave my body for the night” and the explosion of sound and the joy that comes with it.  Listen to it a few times.  Listen to it loud.  And sing along to it in your car.  It’s very addictive.  lol.  Have fun.